Massive student protests return to streets of Montreal (PHOTOS)

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Published time: August 23, 2012 02:01
Edited time: August 23, 2012 06:01

A protester shouts slogans during a march against student tuition fee hikes in downtown Montreal, August 22, 2012. The sign reads: " I vote for Option Nationale." Option Nationale is a provincial political party in Quebec. (Reuters/Olivier Jean)

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Education, North America, Politics, Protest

Thousands of students have rallied against tuition fee hikes in Quebec, an action organizers have trumpeted as a renewal of the protest movement.

The demonstrators marched through downtown Montreal on Wednesday ahead of Quebec’s general election that will be held on September 4th.The voting will decide whether Premier Jean Charest’s Liberal Party is reelected – who’ve run on a plan to drastically increase tuition fees to US$ 1,794 over seven years, a hike of 82 percent.

While the numbers of protesters were smaller than the hundreds of thousands seen last spring – according to the Montreal Gazette – organizers of Wednesday’s protest said it was the largest planned demonstration seen during an electoral campaign and that it signaled the revitalization of the protest movement.

"We already have far more than seen in the summer protests held on the 22nd of each month which drew about 10,000 people," Jeremie Bedard-Wien, spokesman for CLASSE, the largest and most militant of the student groups, said, according to the paper. "The mobilization is starting up again."

Student associations FEUQ and FECQ called for students to vote en masse to oust the Liberal government that introduced the fee hikes.

Despite many students taking decision to return to class, some intend to remain on strike, protesting the planned tuition hike and controversial Bill 78 – an emergency law that restricted demonstrations and introduced enormous fines.

"The strike is continuing in many faculties and many departments and universities and it will continue afterwards," Bedard-Wien said as quoted by The Canadian Press. "What we've put forward for students is this idea of popular mobilization."

The spokesman for CLASSE believes that the current election – and the avoidance of student issues – explains why many of the protesters distrust the traditional political parties.

"We recognize that the three main parties that can cease power haven't made much of a case in support of education," Bedard-Wien said. "They haven't supported us much during the strike and we don't expect much from them at all — and that is why we argue for sustained mobilization."

Many opposition parties, such as Parti Québécois, Québec solidaire, Option Nationale, and workers unions, have voiced their support of the student protest movement.

Politician Marie Malavoy, from center-left Parti Québécois, urged students not to pay their fees for the semester. Her party promises to scrap Charest’s planned tuition fee increase if they get elected.

Premier Jean Charest had called on students to go to classes and said that he hopes the issue will be resolved by September’s elections.

A flag of Quebec (C, top) is seen as thousands of demonstrators march against student tuition fee hikes in downtown Montreal, August 22, 2012. (Reuters/Olivier Jean)

A protester waves a red square flag, symbolizing support towards Quebec student protests, during a march against student tuition fee hikes in downtown Montreal, August 22, 2012.(Reuters/Olivier Jean)

Red square flags symbolizing support towards Quebec student protests are seen as thousands of demonstrators march against student tuition fee hikes in downtown Montreal, August 22, 2012. (Reuters/Olivier Jean)

Protesters remove political campaign posters during a march against student tuition fee hikes in downtown Montreal, August 22, 2012. (Reuters/Olivier Jean)

Comments (14)

Garyth Evans (unregistered) 05.09.2012 03:07

BooHoo,These protesters are a bunch of little babies who throw tantrums when they don't get their own way. Get rid of quebec and save us money, then we can invade again and take the province like we did before.

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Danushka (unregistered) 24.08.2012 02:53

The Arab Spring showed brave students overthrowing dictators. In the 1960's, students protested against the war in Vietnam out of concern for others, for a more peaceful and harmonious world. The Quebec student demonstrators' concern instead is about how much they can selfishly get for themselves while showing very little consideration for the rest of society, instead of appreciating the insanely low tuitions they have and will have even at a max of $3800/year in 5 years; not to mention a better earning power once they graduate and 3 year degrees since government funded CEGEP covers most of the cost equivalent to 1st year university. They keep kicking their feet in a spoiled tantrum demanding to be spoon fed. What a poor model in "maturing" to adulthood and hope of becoming hardworking and ambitious citizens.
M cGill staff were on strike last summer because they were risking losing pensions and many benefits some had earned after 30 years of work for example. Unlike the students, their strike was without violence, they did not block bridges nor set off bombs in the subway, and the McGill staff worked to earn their benefits. Do the students not realize if they refuse to pay a reasonable part of their tuition, they are jeopardizing other peoples earned rights to pensions, paid vacation, etc? Quebec student protesters have abused of our democratic right to protest costing taxpayers $15 million in Montreal alone provoking the government to pass a law requiring forewarning of demonstrations that is unfortunate but necessary for reasons of protecting the public against the demonstrators (some students have barely paid any tax, yet demand businesses be taxed more to pay for their education), and shown a shameful example of disregard to the rest of society. It is an embarrassment how many of today's youth in Quebec have regressed compared to previous generations.

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ROGER, Irish-Canadian LIBERTARIAN (unregistered) 23.08.2012 14:36

Quebec Students are the only Canadians with COURAGE to stand up to the Establishment. The goal of the Establishment is to enslave us all with DEBT and LAWS. These videos are Documentaries, NOT FICTION and were made from 1996 to 2005 with and by Aaron Russo ,a very successful businessman,TV Host and Movie Producer, and Libertarian ACTIVIST, who died, too young, of Cancer in 2007- http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Aaron_Russo . Although some of you may have seen them, it would be a GREAT reminder to view them again and compare what, in effect, has become FACT and a forecast/forebodin g of what is next to come and for those who are viewing these videos for the first time you should be BOTH frightened and VERY ANGRY at the same time. Also, for my African, European and South American friends, you also can make a comparison with your country and where it is heading IF you don't wake up because you have less protection than Americans . They have their CONSTITUTION and are still being violated...WHAT do you have? The Federal reserve, The IRS, Taxes, 911, the War on Terrorism and Even the actual countries of America, Europe, African, South American countries and Canada are ALL FRAUDS perpetrated on the WORLD's people by the Establishment, via the BANKING SYSTEM While you are viewing these videos, Canadians can substitute the Canadian EQUIVALENTS for the American institutions, systems and so-called laws and ADVICE, presented by Aaron Russo...Canadians are in the same "boat"and it is sinking. Don't be fooled by what the MAINSTREAM media is telling you because they are simply DISINFORMATION agents , in effect, for and even owned by, the Establishment. It ALL can be stopped BUT only if we all are willing to resist. TOGETHER we are MUCH more powerful than the Evil controlling us.... your Lives, Freedom and Property depend on your standing up and together saying to the BANKING Establishment, ENOUGH and meaning it, just s I am doing with this email. In fact you could pass it on to EVERYONE you know.. Please VIEW them NOW !!! http://www.youtube .com/watch?feature=p layer_embedded&v=1Qg zy29A05A#! http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=N3NA17C CboA&feature=related http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=-fHFz08 qvlg&feature=related

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